Montante. How big should you go?

[@Avicta]

It's morning, I don't have a job, I've gotten four hours of sleep and spent the rest of my night watching defense analytics videos made by an australian powerpoint man, and now I am supremely happy because my favorite mustachioed internet swordsperson is gracefully demonstrating a montante that would definitely move me more than I would move it. I seriously hope I can take lessons with London Longsword Academy someday. Fingers crossed.

[@gregorstamejcic2355]

Gawd, all of the above seems VERY familiar... All the best, mate!

[@Dinobot-k2x]

Hope you get there bro

[@CountDadLord]

IRL Mr Rawlings is quite a large man. That montante is anime-sword sized.

[@тача́нка-з4ф]

A proper montante should be as tall as your eyes....

[@JagdWehrwolf]

@@тача́нка-з4ф Montante is. You can see David wielding it for a moment. That's a Schlachtschwert.

[@тача́нка-з4ф]

@@JagdWehrwolf I saw many 16c~17c antique schlachtschwerts no longer than 170cm. However the sword in this video looks even longer than 200cm. Can't say that there were no such gigantic swords at the times, but things like the sword in this video wasn't usual.

[@JagdWehrwolf]

@@тача́нка-з4ф I agree, though I was referencing the style of the sword, meaning proportions of the hilt to blade, the built of the hilt, quillions/crossguard and the blade itself rather than the sheer size of it.

[@superrobotmonkeyhyperteamf3194]

@@тача́нка-з4ф you are probably referring to montes statement? if so it should be taken with a grain of salt he could be simply talking about the longsword in the context of duelling since he mentions those sizes mostly for 1vs1. Even if we go by this statement monte says that one can have a bigger one as long as he is skilled. Military speaking many of the swords were mass produced and supplied to soldiers so there were all kind of sizes. And it seems that quite a few were even slightly taller than their wielder. At least in the HRE although spain and other countries also ordered such swords and vice versa. Cant think of any source at the moment which really tells you what exact size one should have. Iirc the ones from graz are on average 170cm long quite a few even longer. Alfieri even says 175cm iirc average at that time was 170cm.

[@Xterminate13]

Train with that monster and even the large traditional montantes will move in your hands like feathers.

[@LondonLongsword]

Accurate 😂

[@lil__boi3027]

​@@LondonLongsword where can i buy that montante? What is the length?

[@MatthewRoche]

All of my swords feel inadequate now.

[@shkotayd9749]

You are either 4ft tall, or that is one BIG sword! xD Amazing how it is made to carry momentum and balance for all the major size.

[@jaketheasianguy3307]

This is why i believe the rules "hands move first then body follows" does not really work with all weapons and systems. With the greatsword, the synchronization between the hands that swinging, the twisting of the hips and the steps have to be on point, or else the sword will just drag you along with it's momentum if you start swinging it like a smaller 2 handed sword

[@Sinistralian]

It depends on what you want to achieve. You moving the sword also moves you, so every cut can be fine-tuned to move you whichever way you might want.

[@тача́нка-з4ф]

In fact, in codex Doebringer, a 15c german fechtbook, says that 'One who's hands go first and body follows would have little joy on fighting.' The rule that body, foot, and hand should go together is universal in hema.

[@KwizzyDaAwesome]

That is not what Dobringer says.

[@тача́нка-з4ф]

@@KwizzyDaAwesome 'Wer noch get hewen, der darf sich kunst kleyne frewen.' It means 'Anyone who goes after striking shall have little joy in his art'. I just simplified it in the prior comment.

[@jaketheasianguy3307]

@@тача́нка-з4ф depends. For rapier and saber, most authors recommend you to extend the arm first and then the body follows, especially when you want to do an attack from the lunge. It's less telegraph for the thrust or a quick moulinet

[@joolsgrommers1466]

If I was a 17thC nobleman looking for someone to have my back with a big sword, I'd find the BIGGEST person I could, and give them an EVEN BIGGER sword. These things are possibly as much intimidation as they are practically deadly. Bigger is absolutely fine..

[@tatumergo3931]

Reminds me of a visit to the Heidelberg castle's museum. Where the curator there explained that the Bidenhander in their collection belong to the Pince's personal bodyguard a giant of a man almost 7 feet tall.

[@TONEDEAFSOUND]

man i’d love to try one of these out that thing is beautiful

[@Binidj]

My goodness that would bring tears to your eyes!

[@thomaswilkinson3241]

I had the pleasure of swinging Alpha and Omega from Björn Rüther's Arsenal last summer. It is a mighty piece but to much for my taste. I can imagine this wonderful piece of yours is just as impressive.

[@IaMaPh1991]

It was much too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy, and far too rough. Indeed, it was more like a hulking mass of iron.

[@TytonidaeIndustries]

Ah, the good ol Koloss swords

[@tatumergo3931]

You would be amazed at how well balanced those things are. The height of the wielder only necessary to increase the reach advantage.

[@mouseutopiadystopia24601]

A man of culture.

[@mouseutopiadystopia24601]

​@@tatumergo3931 The OP was a reference to the Dragon Slayer sword from Berserk.

[@tatumergo3931]

@@mouseutopiadystopia24601 . You know I haven't been able to finish the game!

[@nickm1242]

That zweihander is absolutely beautiful. I want one.

[@ossian1977]

This is a Space Marine sized weapon

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

Same height as the wielded, or just a few inches taller will work fine ☝️ But don’t go too long, you’ll only be able to do horizontal swings

[@Fortunes.Fool.]

The idea that guys used to carry those around makes me smile.

[@Davlavi]

interesting.

[@Asodius]

how big is that sword!? is there a historical example its inspired by? I haven't found a 2 hander longer than about 190cm without them getting exceptionally weighty (extra KILOS for 10 or 20cm)

[@lil__boi3027]

Ayo can you send the examples you found?

[@KwizzyDaAwesome]

Okay but how altibaxo for the complex rule without hitting ground and how get it back up without it being a pain?

[@LondonLongsword]

Practise:)

[@LondonLongsword]

For myself the way of doing this complex, is thinking about what forward means. It has presented no problems yet. However, it’s worth pointing out that I have worked a lot of these rules with heavier things, and my interpretations while (I hope) are true to the text, may differ to other interpretations more commonly seen.

[@gregorstamejcic2355]

Oh, my, that's a sizeable instrument...

[@NutsFromBerk_]

Nice, it’s almost as big as my sword

[@bramvanworkum]

The one in the thumbnail pic. Who made it and whats the price?

[@bramvanworkum]

I found out last weekend its 2500. Guy builds em by hand

[@mekingtiger9095]

​@@bramvanworkum How much does it weight???

[@AceKylar]

Don’t tell anyone you leveled up DEX

[@meuovo1763]

I like em italian girls and I like em HUGE

[@user-ur4nl6dq2x]

I have no knowledge of HEMA beyond hollywood (bad) and youtube (slightly better)...so i have no idea how anyone would sheath and/or transport that sword 😂

[@TytonidaeIndustries]

No sheath, carried over the shoulder with the hilt in your hand IF you do have a sheath, you would actually probably have someone to help you with it, and it would still not be tied to a belt with any expectations of drawing it without detaching it first